Certain embodiments consistent with the present invention relate to a double cooler device. Several cooler devices are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,611 is a square cooler with a square container inside, that uses a cooler with a relatively narrow coolant compartment immediately within the insulated side walls of the cooler. This coolant compartment surrounds the food and beverage compartment. Each compartment has its own means to drain liquid. Ice can easily be poured into the coolant compartment because of a means for forming a funnel like effect, which funnel like effect extends around its top. There are separate means to seal each compartment at its top against the surrounding ambient temperature, and also provide individual access to each compartment. This patent seems to be designed for the cooling of a food compartment, because of the tightly sealed lids. If it was used for a beverage container it could not possibly provide the same solution as embodiments consistent with the present invention. If this device is used as a beverage cooler it clearly has a ventilation concern. With a tight lid and no means of ventilation to allow an even flow of air, as the beverage is released, the beverage will not readily leave the container, due to the created vacuum.
The current state of the art device used widely, for example in the construction industry, is a five gallon insulated container that is designed and marketed for providing drinking water or other beverages dispersed with a simple faucet near the base. Such coolers are marketed, for example, by Igloo Products Corp.
Additional detailed features of certain embodiments are depicted in engineering drawings A-534-100 through A-534-107 which form a part of the present application as filed and which are hereby incorporated by reference.